Suspension device for equalizing the strain on elevator cables



NOV. 10, 1931. J EVANS 1,830,988

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR EQUALIZING THE! STRAIN CN ELEVATOR CABLES Filed May 16, 1929 Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED- STATES PATENT m nc JOSEPH F. EVANS,-OF BEDFORD, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO EVANS ELEVATOR EQUALIZER COMPANY, OF BEDFORD, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF I ZNDIANA' I SUSPENSION. nnvron ron EQUALIZING THE srRAm 01v E Eva'ron CABLES .A pp1ication filed May 16, 1929. Serial No. 363,695.

Myinvention relates to a device designed to connect an elevator carand a groupof hoisting cables arranged to travel around a suspension pulley at the top of the elevator shaft in which thei car travels up and down, and the purpose of the device is to distribute the Weight of the car equally among the'cables at all positions of the car' in its travel, whether, because ofslight variations in the diameter of the 'cables'or the depths ofthe grooves of the suspension pulley or other causes, such as variations in the stretch of the difierent cables, there is some creeping of the cablesafiecting their longitudinal relation to each other in the courseof their travel, or not. The object of my invention is the provision of an equalizing deviceemploying' rocking levers 'oribars as the equalizing members which shall function efliciently' and be particularlywell adapted to' attain the endsin view, and shall be economicalto construct and'be strong and simple and little liable to derangement in use To this end I ha've devised and invented the suspension device hereinafter described in detail, the essential elements of my invention being more particularly' pointed out in the appended claims. In' the drawings, Figure 1 is what I will term an end view ofthe device, and frag- 3.0 mentary portions of thehoisting cables and elevator carwhich are thereby connected;

.40 bers at the top of the elevator car.

Fig. 2 is aside view of thesame; 8

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on thedotted line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the device.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings. My novel equalizing device is designed to be secured to a pair of horizontal beam mem- These beam members, markedA-A inthe drawings,

may conveniently form a part of the frame work of the car and are preferably flanged at top and bottom, as illustrated. Resting upon the -top flanges of the beams A is arranged a guide frame, consisting of two pairs of L-shaped bracket strips 1 having upwardly extending members which are bolted together between a pair of guide plates 2-2 extending from one pair of bracket strips to the other. The horizontalmembers of the four bracket strips are connected by clamping bolts 3 with a bottom plate 4. This bottom plate is formed with depending bearing brackets, in the present instance three in number, including a central bracket 5 and .outer or side brackets 66, and also preferably with strengthening cross-ribs 7 and 8, as illustrated in the drawings.

The guide-frame clamped to the beam members of the car as described, constitute the stationary, frame work of the device in which the equalizing and suspension mechanism is mounted.

As illustrated, my equalizing device is designed for attaching the elevator car to a group of six hoisting cables traveling in parallel grooves of the suspension pulley (not illustrated), the number of cables usually employed, and the cables are spread in two groups of three cables each, in staggered relation, the cables of one group being marked 9 on the drawings, and the cables of the other group being marked. 10. Each cable 9-is connected by a bolt 11 having an anchorage socket 12 with a block 18 pivotally mounted between the ends of a pair of upper equalizer bars 1414, the other ends of such bars similarly connectedlwith a diagonally opposite cable 10, each pair of equalizer bars thus connecting a pair of Cables Which are adja-- cent each other in their travel over the suspension pulley, not shown. Centrally between each of the pairs of bars 14 is pivoted the upper end of one of three links 15, 15 15 which extend downwardly between the guide and bottom plate,

plates 2. In the present instance, and preferably, I have provided, in the spaces between adjacent links and bolted to the guide plates 2, blocks 16, which may be formed of hard wood, soaked in oil, or fibre board, or metal, and which are of such dimensions as to prevent undue sidewise sway of the several associated links and cables, while not interfering with the functioning of equalizing bars pivoted to their lower ends, later to be described. Each of the links is twisted slightly near its upper end to provide for the slight obliquity of the pivot bearing at that end.

The lower end of two adjacent links, as the links 15 and 15, are pivoted between the opposite ends of a pair of intermediate equalizer bars l7-l7, andthe centers of these bars are pivotally connected by a pair of lower.

links l818 with corresponding and shorter ends or arms of a lower pair of equalizing bars or levers 19 119 which are intermediately mounted upon a pivot rod 20 extending through the bearing brackets 5 and 6. The longer arms or" said bars or levers are pivotally connected by a second pair of lo'wer links withth'e lower end of the link 15', The distance between the pivot centers of the shorterarm's of the levers 19 is onehalf that of the longer arm's, whereby the strain of the four cables connected to the links 15 and 15 just balances that of the two cablesc'onneeted to the link 15; It is obvious that by means of the linkagedescribed each 0'1 the suspension cables will sustain an equal part of theload of the car, while permitting some variation of travel of the cables over the suspension pulley with respect to each other as the car is hoisted up and lowered down in the "elevator shaft by the group of cables. I a v While the various equalizer bars and levers and the lower links of the device as illustrated are of double or twin construction, "for the purpose of balancing the stresses on thc pivot connections of the parts, it is obvlous that the companion parts function as one, and the appended claims are intended to be con- 7 strued with this understanding.

It is further obvious that my device is adapted to be used to suspend the counterweight of an elevator car to the counterweight end of the cables, and I desire my claims construed to include the application of my invention to a counter-weight or other load attached to a group of hoisting cables.

I claim: W

"1. A. suspension device for connecting an elevator car to a group of six hoisting cables com. rising three upper equalizer barsseveral y connected to pairs of adjacent cables three upper links pivoted centrally to said equalizer bars, an intermediate equalizer b'a'r pivoted at its, opposite ends to two of said upper links adjacent each other, a lowe'rlink pivoted at its upper end centrally to said ntermediate bar and at its lower end -to the short arm ofthe hereinafter mentioned l'ower equalizer bar, and a lower equalizer bar intermediately pivot-ed upon the frame of the device and having a short arm connected as described to said lower link and having its other and longer arm connected to the remaining one of said first mentioned links.

2. A suspension device for connecting a plurality of more than four cables to an elevator car, said device including a guide frame secured to the car a pair of upper equalizer bars each connected to a pair of adjacent cables, a pair of u per links severally pivoted centrall" to s'ai pair "of upper equalizing bars an slidably engaging said guide frame,

an intermediate equalizer bar pivoted at its opposite ends to said pair of upper links, a lower link pivoted centrally to such intermediate equalizer bar, and a lower equalizer bar intermediately pivotally cemented with the car and at one end connected to said lower link and at the other end connected to the remaining ones of said cables, the strainof the cables connected to opposite ends of said lower equalizer bar being balanced.

3. vA suspension device for connecting a plurality of cables to an elevatorcar including parallel upper equaliz'er bars each con nected toca ,pair of adjacent cables and "together arranged to spread said cables two groups in staggered relation, a pair of up er inks severally pivotally connected to a pair of adjacent upper equalizer bar-s centrally thereot, an intermediate equalizer bar connected at opposite ends to a ,pair of adjacentupper lin 8 a, lower link pivota ll'y connected to the said intermediate equalizer bar centrally thereof, and a lower equalizer intermediately pivotal-1y connected with the car and atone end connected with saidlowe'r link andat the other end connected with certain cables other than the four adjacent cables connected to said intermediate e ualizer bar, the strain of the cables. connecte to opposite ends of said lower equalizer bar being balanced. j, a

4, A suspension device for connecting a plurality of more than four cables to an ele vat or car having at its top a pair of horizontal beams, said device com rising a guide traine arranged 'on top oi? said beams, a bottom plate underneath said beams, clamping bolts iorclatnping said guide frame and bottom plate to said beams, a pair of upper equalizer bars each connected to a a pair of adjacent cables, a pair of upper links several ly pivoted centrally to said pair ofupper equalizing b ars and-slidably engaging @id guide frame, an intermediate equalizer bar "pivoted at its opposite ends to said-pair of ripper links, raver link pivoted centrally to intermediate equalizer bar, and a raw er equalizer bar intermediately pivoted upen said ba -tom plate, and at one end connected to said lower link and at the ethereal conne'ctcd to the remaining tries at said cables, the strain "of the cables connected to opposite its Lssopes" ends of said lower equalizer bar being balanced.

5. A suspension device according to claim 2 in which said guide frame includes spaced guide lates at its opposite sides and said upper inks are bars arranged between said guide plates.

6. A suspension device accordin to claim 2 in which said guide frame inclu es spaced flat guide plates at its opposite sides and said upper links are bars arranged between said guide plates and in which guide blocks are arranged between and secured to said guide plates between proximate faces of said links.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

JOSEPH E. EVANS. 

